Times are changing. Where previously you could merely craft epic swords and new-fangled flying machines, you can now craft success.

Achievement points, the latest addictive means of displaying your awesomeness, are all the rage, and can be crafted up in a jiffy. Well, maybe two jiffies.

As a level 70, there is one achievement you almost certainly have, and that is "Professional Master." This is awarded once you train the highest rank of any given profession, and serves as a little pat on the back for a job well done.

Ready to go further? Get ready to maximize your fishing, cooking and first aid skills!

Fortunately, we have already written up handy guides for doing just that!

• Guide to reaching 375 in cooking.
• Guide to maximizing your fishing skill.
• Tips for leveling fishing.

Along the way, you will be collecting achievements such as "Artisan Cook" just for training your way through the profession.

Other achievements encourage you to start a collection of sorts. For cooking:

• "Lunch Lady" is awarded for learning 25 cooking recipes.
  
• "Short Order Cook" requires you to learn 50 cooking recipes.
• Complete each daily cooking quest handed out by The Rokk in Lower City for the achievement, "Kickin' It Up a Notch." Check out our guide to these dailies.
• "Sous Chef" asks that you learn 100 cooking recipes.
• "The Cake Is Not A Lie" can be achieved by cooking up a [Delicious Chocolate Cake]. The recipe drops randomly as a reward for the daily cooking quests.
• "The Outland Gourmet" lists 26 Outland foods that you must cook up. Remember to check your trainer, Kylene in the World's End Tavern, and various vendors around Outland. Failing that, hit up the auction house! Some of the recipes, however, can only be acquired by completing the cooking daily quests. For example, you will also need to bake the cake for this achievement.
• "Captain Rumsey's Lager" asks that you make some of this +fishing beverage. The recipe can be acquired by doing the fishing daily quests.
  

The first aid achievements are actually quite straightforward. Unfortunately, the only achievement you can acquire before the expansion is "Master In First Aid" and every level 70 worth his or her salt should already have this. If not, do yourself a favor and maximize your first aid skill!

The fishing achievements, on the other hand, are a bit of a mixed bag. We've written up a handy guide to five-seven of the easiest fishing achievements to get you started.

Another easy one is called "Fish Don't Leave Footprints" and it simply requires that you complete the fishing daily quests until the [Weather-Beaten Journal] appears among your spoils. This is actually ideal, because you need to complete each of the five daily fishing quests for the achievement, "Old Man Barlowned."
Every Sunday, you can try for the achievement, "Master Angler of Stranglethorn." Unfortunately, because of the achievement craze, the usually competitive scene at the Booty Bay fishing tournament is about to get a whole bunch uglier. Still, if you think you are up to the challenge, check out Mike's tips to winning at the fishing Extravaganza.

If you have a hankering for a real test in skill patience, then you might want to consider going after the "Old Crafty," "Old Ironjaw" and "One That Didn't Get Away" achievements.

Old Crafty is a rare fish that can be fished up from the waters in Orgrimmar. For the Alliance, I am writing a guide that will be posted in the next few days with tips on how to not only get into Orgrimmar, but fish successfully for this 1 in 100 drop. Trust me, this can take several hundred catches to complete.

Old Ironjaw is the Ironforge equivalent. Equally rare, Horde members should check out my guide to infiltrating Ironforge and fishing up this monster.

"One That Didn't Get Away" is unique in that it actually gives you a choice regarding which rare fish you would like to set your sights on.

• [Steelscale Crush Fish] can be found in the coastal waters of Ashenvale, the Wetlands and Hillsbrad Foothills. According to El's Anglin', this is potentially the rarest fish in the game. You might want to bypass it! You will need a skill of 55 or a skill of 150 in order to avoid get aways.
• [Rockhide Strongfish] can only be caught during the Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza. The estimated drop rate is 1 in 1000 catches, making it near impossible to acquire. You can attempt to do so by fishing in the Tastyfish schools during the hours of 14:00-16:00 each Sunday.
  
• [103 Pound Mightfish] can be found off the coast of Azshara. You will need a minimum skill of 330 fishing, and 425 to avoid getaways. You can also find the [22 Pound Lobster] here.
  
• Is your fishing skill barely there? Not to worry! Snag this elite fishing achievement by searching for the [15 Pound Mud Snapper]! You only need a fishing skill of 1-25. Fish him up from the inland waters of Teldrassil, Azuremyst Isle, Mulgore, Durotar, Tirisfal Glades, Eversong Woods, Dun Morough, and Elwynn Forest.
• [52 Pound Redgill] will require a fishing skill of 205-300. Check out the inland waters of Azshara, Felwood, Feralas (minus Jademir Lake], The Hinterlands, Maraudon, Moonglade, the Temple of Atal'Hakkar, Un'Goro Crater, and the Western Plaguelands.
• [29 Pound Salmon] is another higher level fish, requiring a minimum skill of 330 and 425 to avoid get aways. Try fishing in Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Feralas in Jademir Lake, Scholomance, Silithus, Stratholme, Winterspring and Zul'Gurub.
• [68 Pound Grouper] can be found in Azshara (minus the Bay of Storms), Feralas, the Hinterlands, Stranglethorn Vale at Jaguero Isle and Tanaris. You'll need 205-300 fishing.
• [32 Pound Catfish] exists, seemingly, almost everywhere. Check out El's map and other info!

For you non-combat pet enthusiasts, and fisherman aiming for the achievement "Accomplished Angler" which will get you the title, "Salty," you might want to hop on your flying mount and start fishing the Highland Mixed Schools in the waters of Skettis and the lakes above Allerian Stronghold and Stonebreaker Hold in Terokkar Forest. Not only do you have to fish up the rare Mr. Pinchy, but he must give you the pet as one of your three random wishes before he disappears. Check out our guide to fishing up Mr. Pinchy for the achievement, "Mr. Pinchy's Magical Crawdad Box."
The last two will require some preparation to catch. "Deadliest Catch" involves fishing in Zul'Gurub, while "The Lurker Above" involves fishing in Serpentshrine Cavern. Because of space constraints, I will direct you to the excellent guides from the fishing guru. El's Anglin' has an excellent guide to soloing the Lurker, as well as Gahz'ranka.

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Filed under: Fishing, Insider Trader (Professions), Guides, How-tos, Tips, Analysis / Opinion, Patches, First Aid, Cooking, Achievements